Hao Ren did not know if the master of this tentacle could hear his voice, but he sincerely hoped the First Born would hold on . The time for the planet crossing the tipping point was getting closer as the sun's gravity and uneven heating on the planet was tearing its crust apart . Even with the strength of the First Born, resistance was futile . The Petrachelys and Hao Ren's team could not reverse the planet's path . The clock was ticking in the virtual world too . There was no one but the First Born that could keep the virtual world running .
Tremors had been occuring non-stop from an hour ago . It felt scary, as if they mwere standing in a big drum as someone hitting and pounding from the outside . All signs was pointing to the imminent disintegration of the planet; the tremor was just a reminder that they were all falling with the five-quintillion-tonne rock towards the sun . But, in the underground bunkers, they had no time to worry about that, they were racing against time finding the brain by tracing the nerve signals of the tentacles .
The team had left the place that housed the alloy cylinders and was now traversing through a cobweb-like underground structure . There were corridors crisscrossing and caverns of various sizes everywhere . The entire underground world was an endless maze . Without the navigation guide, they would be lost in the forked passages . The complexity of this place had perplexed Hao Ren at first; it was not suitable for human living . But, he soon understood the logic behind the design of the refuge; the tunnels and the caves were tailored built for the tentacles of the First Born .
There were tentacles in all tunnels . The tentacles extended along the grooves in the ground or wall like skeletons of the tunnels . There were specially designed brackets and protection measures around . Cables and pipes were connected to the tentacles at some intervals; obviously, the First Born allowed it .
The entire underground refuge was a cave system built for the First Born . This explained the shape of the previous huge caverns .
The First Born played a role to in the creation of the caverns . Geologically, the planet would not have formed so many caves underground . These caverns were man-made .
As Hao Ren moved deeper into the refuge, he was confused . All this while, he associated the First Born to ecological destruction . Though he knew that this powerful creature was the shaper of the ecosystem and the original gardener, the image of destruction was still bothering him .
The situation here was completely different though . The First Born had co-existed with the mortals . All evidences pointed to the fact that Zormese had lived with the First Born from the very beginning . They designed the refuge in a very clever way to accommodate the First Born with the right equipment . This collaboration might have taken years of tacit understanding and communication to realise .
It reminded Hao Ren of what he learned in the hometown of Y'zaks where the First Born were living in harmony with the mortals, and its temperament was mild .
What he learned back then knocked his socks off . But, seeing the real thing was truly astounding .
They passed through a tunnel with four large tentacles and came into a nearly circular cavern . This cavern was similar to the sacred cavern in Holletta; there was a sunken ground in the centre where a lump of unknown living tissue was laying quietly . There were also a large number of holes lined the circumference of the cavern with tentacles extending out and connecting to the living tissue in the centre . At this time, the tremor had eased slightly and Hao Ren could hear a loud 'lub-dub' sound reverberating in the cave like the sound of of the beating of the heart .
"Here is a large ganglion and a set of pumping organ maintaining the circulation of its body fluid," Hao Ren said as he recognised the functions of these organisms from the earlier research report . "We are very close to the brain . I will plant some more sensors here and we would be able to receive signals from the virtual world . "
Lily led a group of autonomous robots to plant sensors on the huge, unknown meatball . It gave her the heebie-jeebies the last time when she first did this kind of job, but she was now a dab hand at doing it .
Hao Ren began to observe other things in the cavern . Other than the organ of the First Born, there were equipment lying around the cavern . His eyes landed on a black machine near the large ganglion . There was a small cable connecting the machine to a tentacle, like an artificial small tentacle .
Hao Ren began to observe other things in the cavern . Other than the organ of the First Born, there were equipment lying around the cavern . His eyes landed on a black machine near the large ganglion . There was a small cable connecting the machine to a tentacle, like an artificial small tentacle .
The machine was something novel to him . It did not look the same as the one used to support the life of the First Born . Hao Ren examined it curiously, and was surprised to find the machine still worked and there was a monitor on it .
That was a miracle, he thought .
"Just like a computer . . . maybe there's something in there," Hao Ren fiddled with it for a while . He was amazed how similar this machine was to the computer in Nolan's world .
Vivian came over, asking curiously, "What have you found?"
"Some records of the refuge's construction, and sporadic information about the plan for the virtual world . The database is seriously corrupted, can't get much information out of it . " Hao Ren still browsing through the logs . "The record says that they were building the refuge to survive a disaster, the Zormese and the 'Root of Origin' built the strong fortress in the ground to resist the end of the world . I supposed the 'Root of Origin' here refers to the First Born . "
While saying, he pointed out with his finger the main points to Vivian . This old instrument was not very reliable; sometimes were garbled characters . "These are the coding records of the virtual world . It seems that their scientists and the First Born designed this simulation mechanism, which was to ensure humans would survive in a common dream for a long, long time until . . . "
"Until what?" asked Vivian .
"Until what?" asked Vivian .
"Until they return to the real world," Hao Ren's voice suddenly sounded serious . "It mentions a plan to return to the reality! They wanted to wait out the disaster on the outside before returning to the real world . They also have plan to restore the ecosystem and their physical bodies…"
Vivian exhaled and said, "Obviously that didn't work out . This planet now seems like a bad place to rebuild their ecosystem . What else does it mention about the disaster? Is it the falling of the planet?"
"No . Had they known the planet was going to fall into the sun, they wouldn't have planned to return to reality," Hao Ren shook his head . "The planet only started falling about three thousand years ago but the refuge already existed seven thousand years before that . So the fall of the planet must be an accident that thwarted their original plan . "
He looked up at the large ganglion in the centre of the cavern . "Perhaps this accident also caused the virtual world beginning to go into a downward spiral—the end-of-day script . If so, then it would match perfectly with the timeline in Nolan's memory . Her memory of end of the world also happened about the same time . "
Vivian looked confused . "You mean . . . "
"The First Born is having a nightmare," Hao Ren lifted his fingers pointing to the unknown living tissue . "So nightmare has swallowed the whole world . "
Vivian's eyes widened . Suddenly, Nolan's voice came through the comm . "Hao Ren! Hao Ren! There's a situation here!"
Hao Ren quickly answered, "What? The fire burns again?"
Vivian's eyes widened . Suddenly, Nolan's voice came through the comm . "Hao Ren! Hao Ren! There's a situation here!"
Hao Ren quickly answered, "What? The fire burns again?"
"No — I think I've heard the voice of the 'fabricator'!"
Fabricator was a name Nolan used to call the controller behind the virtual world . Now Hao Ren knew the so-called 'Fabricator' should be the consciousness of the First Born . Nolan seemed to possess a special talent; she could occasionally hear the somniloquy of the First Born . But, humans could not make sense of the way the First Born thought, so the somniloquy were often time, vague .
But, this time, it was different .
"What did you hear?" Hao Ren asked as if he could not wait . He sensed something in Nolan's voice .
"I don't know if there is a problem with my understanding, but I heard that the world is going to carry out euthanasia . . . " Nolan's voice was filled with fears . "The voice says it is going to block off all the pain, before the collapse of some sort and let the world die painlessly . "
Hao Ren took a deep breath .
The First Born could not hold on any longer .
Hao Ren did not know if the master of this tentacle could hear his voice, but he sincerely hoped the First Born would hold on . The time for the planet crossing the tipping point was getting closer as the suns gravity and uneven heating on the planet was tearing its crust apart . Even with the strength of the First Born, resistance was futile . The Petrachelys and Hao Rens team could not reverse the planets path . The clock was ticking in the virtual world too . There was no one but the First Born that could keep the virtual world running . Tremors had been occuring non-stop from an hour ago . It felt scary, as if they mwere standing in a big drum as someone hitting and pounding from the outside . All signs was pointing to the imminent disintegration of the planet; the tremor was just a reminder that they were all falling with the five-quintillion-tonne rock towards the sun . But, in the underground bunkers, they had no time to worry about that, they were racing against time finding the brain by tracing the nerve signals of the tentacles . The team had left the place that housed the alloy cylinders and was now traversing through a cobweb-like underground structure . There were corridors crisscrossing and caverns of various sizes everywhere . The entire underground world was an endless maze . Without the navigation guide, they would be lost in the forked passages . The complexity of this place had perplexed Hao Ren at first; it was not suitable for human living . But, he soon understood the logic behind the design of the refuge; the tunnels and the caves were tailored built for the tentacles of the First Born . There were tentacles in all tunnels . The tentacles extended along the grooves in the ground or wall like skeletons of the tunnels . There were specially designed brackets and protection measures around . Cables and pipes were connected to the tentacles at some intervals; obviously, the First Born allowed it . The entire underground refuge was a cave system built for the First Born . This explained the shape of the previous huge caverns . The First Born played a role to in the creation of the caverns . Geologically, the planet would not have formed so many caves underground . These caverns were man-made . As Hao Ren moved deeper into the refuge, he was confused . All this while, he associated the First Born to ecological destruction . Though he knew that this powerful creature was the shaper of the ecosystem and the original gardener, the image of destruction was still bothering him . The situation here was completely different though . The First Born had co-existed with the mortals . All evidences pointed to the fact that Zormese had lived with the First Born from the very beginning . They designed the refuge in a very clever way to accommodate the First Born with the right equipment . This collaboration might have taken years of tacit understanding and communication to realise . It reminded Hao Ren of what he learned in the hometown of Yzaks where the First Born were living in harmony with the mortals, and its temperament was mild . What he learned back then knocked his socks off . But, seeing the real thing was truly astounding . They passed through a tunnel with four large tentacles and came into a nearly circular cavern . This cavern was similar to the sacred cavern in Holletta; there was a sunken ground in the centre where a lump of unknown living tissue was laying quietly . There were also a large number of holes lined the circumference of the cavern with tentacles extending out and connecting to the living tissue in the centre . At this time, the tremor had eased slightly and Hao Ren could hear a loud lub-dub sound reverberating in the cave like the sound of of the beating of the heart . Here is a large ganglion and a set of pumping organ maintaining the circulation of its body fluid, Hao Ren said as he recognised the functions of these organisms from the earlier research report . We are very close to the brain . I will plant some more sensors here and we would be able to receive signals from the virtual world . Lily led a group of autonomous robots to plant sensors on the huge, unknown meatball . It gave her the heebie-jeebies the last time when she first did this kind of job, but she was now a dab hand at doing it . Hao Ren began to observe other things in the cavern . Other than the organ of the First Born, there were equipment lying around the cavern . His eyes landed on a black machine near the large ganglion . There was a small cable connecting the machine to a tentacle, like an artificial small tentacle . The machine was something novel to him . It did not look the same as the one used to support the life of the First Born . Hao Ren examined it curiously, and was surprised to find the machine still worked and there was a monitor on it . That was a miracle, he thought . Just like a computer . maybe theres something in there, Hao Ren fiddled with it for a while . He was amazed how similar this machine was to the computer in Nolans world . Vivian came over, asking curiously, What have you found? Some records of the refuges construction, and sporadic information about the plan for the virtual world . The database is seriously corrupted, cant get much information out of it . Hao Ren still browsing through the logs . The record says that they were building the refuge to survive a disaster, the Zormese and the Root of Origin built the strong fortress in the ground to resist the end of the world . I supposed the Root of Origin here refers to the First Born . While saying, he pointed out with his finger the main points to Vivian . This old instrument was not very reliable; sometimes were garbled characters . These are the coding records of the virtual world . It seems that their scientists and the First Born designed this simulation mechanism, which was to ensure humans would survive in a common dream for a long, long time until . Until what? asked Vivian . Until they return to the real world, Hao Rens voice suddenly sounded serious . It mentions a plan to return to the reality! They wanted to wait out the disaster on the outside before returning to the real world . They also have plan to restore the ecosystem and their physical bodies… Vivian exhaled and said, Obviously that didnt work out . This planet now seems like a bad place to rebuild their ecosystem . What else does it mention about the disaster? Is it the falling of the planet? No . Had they known the planet was going to fall into the sun, they wouldnt have planned to return to reality, Hao Ren shook his head . The planet only started falling about three thousand years ago but the refuge already existed seven thousand years before that . So the fall of the planet must be an accident that thwarted their original plan . He looked up at the large ganglion in the centre of the cavern . Perhaps this accident also caused the virtual world beginning to go into a downward spiral—the end-of-day script . If so, then it would match perfectly with the timeline in Nolans memory . Her memory of end of the world also happened about the same time . Vivian looked confused . You mean . The First Born is having a nightmare, Hao Ren lifted his fingers pointing to the unknown living tissue . So nightmare has swallowed the whole world . Vivians eyes widened . Suddenly, Nolans voice came through the comm . Hao Ren! Hao Ren! Theres a situation here! Hao Ren quickly answered, What? The fire burns again? No — I think Ive heard the voice of the fabricator! Fabricator was a name Nolan used to call the controller behind the virtual world . Now Hao Ren knew the so-called Fabricator should be the consciousness of the First Born . Nolan seemed to possess a special talent; she could occasionally hear the somniloquy of the First Born . But, humans could not make sense of the way the First Born thought, so the somniloquy were often time, vague . But, this time, it was different . What did you hear? Hao Ren asked as if he could not wait . He sensed something in Nolans voice . I dont know if there is a problem with my understanding, but I heard that the world is going to carry out euthanasia . Nolans voice was filled with fears . The voice says it is going to block off all the pain, before the collapse of some sort and let the world die painlessly . Hao Ren took a deep breath . The First Born could not hold on any longer .
Chapter end
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